--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I really wanted to retire and rest and…" description: "\"I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that fo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/nelson-mandela-248_children_i-really-wanted-to-retire-and-rest-and-s_2949605.jpg" --- # I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time… ![“I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it's difficult to say no.” quote by Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/nelson-mandela-248_children_i-really-wanted-to-retire-and-rest-and-s_2949605.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/nelson-mandela-248_children_i-really-wanted-to-retire-and-rest-and-s_2949605.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6d/nelson-mandela-248_children_i-really-wanted-to-retire-and-rest-and-s_2949605.jpg) > “I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife. But the problems are such that for anybody with a conscience who can use whatever influence he may have to try to bring about peace, it's difficult to say no.” [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He wanted retirement but felt compelled by conscience to continue influencing peace efforts despite personal costs. **In simple terms:** He wanted retirement but felt duty to pursue peace. Key Takeaway Prioritize conscience over personal rest. Themes activism conscience peace Mood determined serious Type ethical inspirational When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community service - family planning Key Concepts ethical responsibility personal sacrifice Questions to Reflect On - How do you manage personal needs with global duties? - What limits should activists set? A Different Perspective Balancing personal life and activism is challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compassion/) [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Grandchildren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grandchildren/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [More time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more-time/) [No compassion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/no-compassion/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Rest in peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rest-in-peace/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wife/) ## Related quotes > [I really wanted to retire and rest and spend more time with my children, my grandchildren and of course with my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-really-wanted-to-retire-and-rest-and-spend-more-time-with-my-2/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Be careful never to retire to rest in a room not properly ventilated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace-mann/be-careful-never-to-retire-to-rest-in-a-room-not-properly-ventilated/) [Horace Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace-mann/) > [The Stoics say, "Retire within yourselves; it is there you will find your rest." And that is not true. Others say, "Go out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-stoics-say-retire-within-yourselves-it-is-there-you-will-find/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [Only when peace lives within each of us, will it live outside of us. We must be the wombs for a new harmony. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ming-dao-deng/only-when-peace-lives-within-each-of-us-will-it-live-outside-of-us-we/) [Ming-Dao Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ming-dao-deng/) > [Most of the artists I know are crazy in one way or another. I think that's why you get into it. You're in pursuit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/most-of-the-artists-i-know-are-crazy-in-one-way-or-another-i-think/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [It's the hardening of these narratives that makes peace so difficult. If each side can see the narrative, the claims that the other has,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/it-s-the-hardening-of-these-narratives-that-makes-peace-so-difficult/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Peace is more difficult than war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/peace-is-more-difficult-than-war/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [The most appropriate type of daily life for me was a day-by-day world destruction; peace was the most difficult and abnormal state to live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yukio-mishima/the-most-appropriate-type-of-daily-life-for-me-was-a-day-by-day-world/) [Yukio Mishima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yukio-mishima/) > [To build peace is difficult but to live without it is torment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-build-peace-is-difficult-but-to-live-without-it-is-torment/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Until you make peace with your difficult memories, that pain will continue to bleed into your current and future experiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/until-you-make-peace-with-your-difficult-memories-that-pain-will/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [I wanted to retire at 55. Now at 61 with two young kids, I want to spend a bit of time with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-warnock/i-wanted-to-retire-at-55-now-at-61-with-two-young-kids-i-want-to/) [Neil Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-warnock/) > [I wanted to retire from all that, but I guess my breasts still have a career, and I'm just tagging along with them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-anderson/i-wanted-to-retire-from-all-that-but-i-guess-my-breasts-still-have-a/) [Pamela Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-anderson/) > [I wanted to retire after I played for the Mets. My family said wait one year, that there was no need to rush it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-sheffield/i-wanted-to-retire-after-i-played-for-the-mets-my-family-said-wait/) [Gary Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-sheffield/) > [The longer you stay out of this sport, the less sharp you are, and I've been aware of that; that's why I've stayed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/urijah-faber/the-longer-you-stay-out-of-this-sport-the-less-sharp-you-are-and-i-ve/) [Urijah Faber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/urijah-faber/) > [After my time with a certain NFL team, I wanted to retire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-foles/after-my-time-with-a-certain-nfl-team-i-wanted-to-retire/) [Nick Foles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-foles/) ## More by Nelson Mandela > [We must work together to ensure the equitable distribution of wealth, opportunity and power in our society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-must-work-together-to-ensure-the-equitable-distribution-of-wealth/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [If you don't allow people to contribute, to offer their point of view, or to criticize what has been put before them, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/if-you-don-t-allow-people-to-contribute-to-offer-their-point-of-view/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Courageous people do not fear forgiving, for the sake of peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/courageous-people-do-not-fear-forgiving-for-the-sake-of-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [As a leader... I have always endeavored to listen to what each and every person in a discussion had to say before venturing my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/as-a-leader-i-have-always-endeavored-to-listen-to-what-each-and-every/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [Some of the mission groups that have been responsible for our education have not been part of the government. In fact, they acted contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/some-of-the-mission-groups-that-have-been-responsible-for-our/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“I believed that I would become a counsellor to the Thembu king,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-believed-that-i-would-become-a-counsellor-to-the-thembu-king/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [What he means by this is that instead of saying you'll "try", you need to "do". And as we let our light shine, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/what-he-means-by-this-is-that-instead-of-saying-you-ll-try-you-need/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/i-learned-that-courage-was-not-the-absence-of-fear-but-the-triumph/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [We need to exert ourselves that much more, and break out of the vicious cycle of dependence imposed on us by the financially powerful:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-need-to-exert-ourselves-that-much-more-and-break-out-of-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Prison is a still point in a turning world, and it is very easy to remain in the same place in jail while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/prison-is-a-still-point-in-a-turning-world-and-it-is-very-easy-to/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-fundamental-concern-for-others-in-our-individual-and-community/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I am aware of what the position is in the United States of America. 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